


The Man Behind the Mask

by seeingintechnicolor



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-03-16 21:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 14,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3503240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seeingintechnicolor/pseuds/seeingintechnicolor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU take on Season 3. Team Arrow has had it good ever since the defeat of Slade. But with a new enemy on horizon, one that is not who they seem, Oliver must make decisions that he doesn't agree with and doesn't want to make.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Oliver ran through the back alley way. He was chasing after another low-life pill pusher. Over the past few months, Team Arrow had captured enough criminals to scare all that were left into stopping their life of crime. This one was no different. It took only ten minutes for Oliver to bring him down. In the end, this guy had practically surrendered.

Oliver made his way down the steps to find Roy lazily shooting some dummies and Felicity sitting at her computers staring at an endless wall of code.

Oliver faced Roy,who had since stopped shooting arrows,"Where's Diggle?"

"He went home to Lyla. He can't stay here all the time anymore. Not with the baby on the way," Roy answered.

He motioned towards Roy and asked, "How about you? Why don't you go home?"

"What's the point? I don't have anyone waiting for me..." Roy hung his head thinking of Thea. In the months after Slade's attack, she had left Starling City. Needless to say Roy had taken it pretty hard. Apart from the occasional text, Thea was radio silent.

His life has changed so much after he met Thea. Before they met he was in a dark place. If they hadn't have been together, Roy wouldn't have followed her that night in the Glades. Roy never would've been saved by the Hood and then a year later become part of his crusade. Without Thea, Roy was beginning to fall apart again.

Oliver insisted, "Still. You should go get some rest."

"Okay fine. Just make sure you don't do anything stupid without me," Roy teased as he made his way up the stairs.

Oliver then turned to Felicity, "You should go home too. There's nothing more for tonight."

"You're probably right. I have to pull an early shift at work in the morning which may or may not be the most depressing thing I've ever said." Felicity paused for a moment then resumed. "You know if you ever get tired of sleeping on the floor, I've got a spare bedroom that's always empty. It's yours if you want it."

Oliver smiled at the kind jester and then answered, "Thanks but I don't want to impose and I like being able to be down here ready for anything so..."

"Still. My offer stands. Goodnight Oliver." With that Felicity climbed the stairs and left Oliver alone in his cave.

With his mother and father dead, and with Thea off doing God knows what, Oliver had no family left in his life. Queen Consolidated had been devastated in the wake of Isabel Rochev, so Oliver's family legacy as well as his fortune was gone. All Oliver had left was this life and this cave. All that was left was the Arrow.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Diggle walked down the steps and saw Roy and Oliver sparring. Roy was hopelessly losing. 

"Dead!"Oliver yelled at Roy as he was pinned. 

"You know one of these days I will find a way to beat you,"Roy promised

Oliver laughed and spat back,"Yeah keep dreaming kid."

Oliver stood and gave Roy a hand. They both turned to Dig who was looking like death. 

Roy then said to him,"Don't take this the wrong way but you look disgusting."

"Yeah well I don't feel great." Diggle thought back on what Roy had said. "Is there a right way to take that?" Roy was trying his best to not burst into a fit of laughter.

Oliver then chimed in. "You know Roy is right. About the death's door thing not the disgusting part. Are you okay?"

"I'm stressed out, I haven't slept in days and I think I'm getting sick," Diggle confessed. He let out a huff of frustration. Oliver had never seen Diggle like this. 

"Take the day off. Even crime fighters get sick days." Oliver insisted.

Diggle looked confused and asked, "You sure?" 

Oliver smiled, "Yeah. Today should be mainly patrols. Criminals are giving up. Go home. Be with your wife." 

"Thanks,man." Diggle patted his shoulder and made his way back up the stairs.

"I meant what I said.” Oliver then turned back to Roy and Felicity. 

“When I started out on this crusade, I was going to do this all by myself. Then with you two and Diggle... I just realized how much I need you all. When I'm out here fighting, you guys are there with me. Quite literally sometimes." 

Roy then crossed his arms and said,"I sense we are dangerously close to hug territory. I suggest we disband."

"Good idea," Oliver and Felicity said in unison.

Felicity went back to her desk. Since no new criminals were making any moves, she was more of a monitor now than a researcher.

Roy also hadn't seen much action since he joined the team.

Roy went to the back of the cave and changed into his suit. He came back out a few minutes later as Oliver began target practice."I'm going to go find some people to punch. Do you mind?"

Oliver then stopped and responded,"Nope. Just make sure you punch the right people."

Roy gave a sly grin and disappeared out into the early night.

Felicity swiveled in her chair to face Oliver, "How about you? Are you ready to go?"

Oliver was confused, "Go where?"

Felicity rolled her eyes,"Did you really forget?The board meeting? The one where you try to convince uber rich people that you can handle your family's company..."

"Was I supposed to write a speech? Because I didn't."

Felicity smiled back at Oliver, "Don't worry. If being your former EA taught me any bring its that you forget everything and I don't. I wrote it for you. Just pretend you wrote it. Okay?"

Meanwhile...

"I am counting on you to get the job done. Do not hold back for any reason. Failure will not be tolerated." He believed in his pupil. They trained hard and he believed that his student could handle this.

"Understood"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment/or like please!!!


	3. Chapter 3

Oliver arrived at QC fifteen minutes later. He stood at the head of the table and began his speech. 

"For 5 years the people of Starling City thought I was dead. When I came back I was not the person that everyone remembered. My mother tried to get me to take my rightful place at the company but I was not ready. Then when she died I had no choice but to become CEO. In my weakness I allowed another to devaste this company. For that I am truly sorry. But this city is my home, my family. This city needs help and I think QC can be the company inside willing to do what it takes to save this city. I help my family and as my mother once said, there is nothing more important to me than family. Thank you"

He sat back down in his seat.

One of the board members then said, "I think we've heard all we need to hear. We will let you kno-"

A tall businessman walked in, "Sorry I'm late. Traffic was terrible. Which is why I took the helicopter. I parked on your roof I hope that's okay. You guys validate right?" He smiled his million dollar smile at the room. Which considering how he looked probably was worth a million dollars.

Oliver interjected,"I'm sorry but, who are you?"

"Ray Palmer. Love your company." Ray held his hand out for a handshake. Of which Oliver ignored. 

"Anyways.Science, and Numbers."Ray said, sounding like he was actually hurt. He pulled up a presentation on the screen at the front of the conference room.

"These numbers represent QC's revenue under Mr.Queen's management. BTW I use the term management loosely. Also BTW these numbers aren't sanitized for Wall Street. This is live information from QC's servers." 

Oliver didn't know much about Wall Street but from Mr.Palmer's use of his management numbers,he was going to assume that his numbers weren't good.

Oliver's phone began to ring. Felicity was calling, but Oliver was occupied so he ignored it. 

Ray continued, "Starling City is dying. No one wants to live here anymore. Who can blame them? This city has undergone two terrorist attacks in as many years a--"

Ray was cut off as Felicity called Oliver's phone again.

"Do you need to answer that Mr. Queen?" Ray asked

Oliver excused himself from the room. "Felicity! What is it?" Oliver whisper-yelled

Felicity had a scared tone in her voice, "SCPD network just got a report of a robbery at a nearby warehouse. They currently have 10 officers in pursuit but it doesn't sound like they can't handle it much longer."

Oliver quickly ran from QC and picked up his suitcase from the front desk.

"Felicity! Give me an address. Tell Roy to meet me there!"

Since a few weeks ago, when the Arrow was not fast enough to stop a shooting, Oliver had taken measures to always be prepared to go into action. So wherever he went, his Arrow suit came with him. He jumped on his bike and rode towards the address Felicity had given him.

"Felicity, what do we know about the situation?" Oliver asked. He could hear Felicity typing on her keyboards. 

"The warehouse belongs to Kord Enterprises. The attacker is described to be using two small knives and one long sword. This guy is no street thug. Be careful Oliver," Felicity warned.

Oliver tried not to think about Felicity worrying about him. "I'll be fine Felicity. Where's Roy?"

"He's two minutes out from your location." Felicity responded

"Open the comms. Let me talk to him." Oliver commanded.

"On it."

"Roy!" Oliver yelled

Roy responded on his earpiece,  
"What?" 

"I've arrived at the warehouse. When you catch up, get the wounded officers out of there. I'll handle our guy."

Oliver got off of his bike and ran into the warehouse. SCPD SWAT had arrived and he  
waved them off.

Oliver slowly made his way around the warehouse. He had an arrow nocked in his bow at the ready. When Oliver felt a presence behind him he shot straight back. The attacker quickly caught the arrow and broke it in half.

"I was promised a fight" the voice said

Oliver began in his Hood voice, "You got one"

Oliver aimed right for the man's face. The attacker ducked out of the way and punched Oliver square in the stomach. Oliver let out a grunt of pain. Oliver then struck his attacker in the jaw but not before his attacker got a few good hits in to Oliver's head. He then used his bow to hit the man in the legs in an attempt to knock him down. The man did a backflip just before Oliver could hit him. When Oliver got back up the man was gone.

Oliver hadn't encountered someone as agile as him before. This attacker was dressed in a black ninja-like suit with a tribal mask over his face to hide who he was. He was highly skilled and Oliver was almost afraid to see what he could with that long sword on his back. 

"Oliver! I'm here! Do you need help?" Roy had finally finished helping the police out of the building. 

"I don't know. He's still here." Oliver whispered.

Oliver began looking for the man once more.  
He heard feet pattering across the floor in the distance.

"Come and get me," the voice taunted from behind.

Oliver swung his bow behind him, hit the man, and watched as he fell to the ground.  
The man recovered, took a fighting stance and drew his two knives. 

The man reengaged Oliver and swung his knives towards Oliver shoulder. Oliver yelled as he felt the knives slicing his skin. In those few seconds Oliver took to regain his stamina his attacker used them to get Oliver on the floor. As Oliver tried to stand up, his attacker kicked his knee in the wrong way and Oliver screamed with pain. As he lay on the floor, his attacker took one last kick to his ribs.

"Oliver!" Felicity yelled, taken over by fear. She could hear what was happening through Oliver's earpiece. "Roy! Oliver needs help!"

"On my way!" Roy ran back into the warehouse towards his partner.

Oliver lay on the ground. He began to lose consciousness. 

"I had heard great stories of the Starling City Hero," the voice said."Here I thought I might actually have fun taking you down. Looks like those stories were lies. You are not worth my time."

The man put away his knives and unsheathed the katana from his back. He forced Oliver to his knees and urged his chin up to face him with the edge of his sword.

Oliver had no fight left in him to try and escape.

"I hope you've made peace with your God."

Just as the man was about to deliver the final blow, Roy jumped front behind him and got between Oliver and this mysterious ninja. 

"If you want him, you'll have to go through me," Roy spat.

"You wouldn't last a minute. Besides, I got what I needed." Roy could hear the smirk in his voice."Don't bother trying to catch me. " With that the man disappeared into the dark. 

Roy turned back to Oliver. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Oliver limped his way back to his bike.

"You don't look fine."

"I had it handled Roy! I didn't need to be rescued." Oliver was more angry with how he handled it than Roy's performance, but he wanted to be angry at someone rather himself.

"That's not how it looked from where I was standing," Roy countered.

"I'm FINE. I'll meet you back at the lair." Oliver rode off into the night leaving Roy to wonder who this ninja really was.

Back in Corto Maltese...

"Did you get what we needed?" He asked.

"Yes. The Arrow may think he escaped but he will lead us right to her. What do we do now?"

"Now we wait," he replied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes I realize that I am taking some elements from what actually happened in season 3 so far but i'm switching a few things for how I want it... 
> 
> ps. I don't have a beta so if there are any mistakes I am so sorry...


	4. Chapter 4

"Ow!" Oliver yelled.

"Sorry, Oliver. But I need to get this cleaned up," Felicity replied. She was helping Oliver to bandage the cuts on his shoulder and face. 

"Is Roy not back yet?" Oliver wondered.

"No and I don't blame him. You were pretty harsh. He was only trying to help. Don't say you didn't need it." Felicity was angry at Oliver for being religiously against admitting when he needs help.

"You're right. To be honest I wasn't mad at him. I was mad at myself. I let myself get beat," Oliver admitted.

"You did what you could. There's no need to blame anyone." Felicity had finished patching Oliver up so she took her spot back at the computers. 

"I ran the description you gave me against A.R.G.U.S's database and got a match. She's wanted in several places including Quarac, Corto Maltese,and Biyalia to name a few."

"She?" Oliver wondered.

"Yeah. Given the approximate height and extreme agility I'd say this is a female. Goes by the name Chesire. I'm thinking League of Assassins. You?"

Oliver thought for a moment, "Most likely. But why would she be here in Starling City? Was there anything reported missing from the warehouse?"

"The staff are still assessing their inventory. We'll know soon." Felicity answered.

"Good. What about Sara? Does she know anything about this 'Chesire' character?"

"She hasn't responded to my message."

"I don't like being kept on the dark Felicity!" Oliver began to raise his voice.

"Don't say that I am not trying! I'm doing everything I can!" Felicity tried her hardest not to tear up. 

Oliver didn't mean to make Felicity feel bad. "I'm sorry Felicity. I just don't like the idea that someone dangerous is out there. We need to catch her before she hurts anyone else." 

"I know. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Roy came back down the stairs and stopped at the bottom. Oliver turned back to him and opened his mouth to say something. He stopped himself though and Roy just walked towards the back of the cave.

"You should apologize to him," Felicity commented.

Oliver nodded and headed towards Roy. Roy had his back to Oliver. 

"Before you say anything I want you to know that when I signed on to this team I did it because you said you needed the help. So did you just change your mind? Because I don't appreciate getting yelled at for trying to do my job." Roy had since turned around and was now trying to intimidate Oliver. The whole thing was kinda hilarious considering how much taller than Roy Oliver was.

"You're right. I need to thank you. You saved my life." Roy was actually shocked that Oliver was admitting his mistake.

"You also bring up a good point." Oliver smiled and motioned for Roy to follow him." Saving the city is a job. At first they called me the Hood. I never really liked the name. Then they called me the Arrow. The name stuck so now that's who I am. Now that you're out there you need a name too...Got any ideas?"

Roy thought for a moment and smiled to himself, "I'm drawing a blank."

Felicity called out to them, "How about Red Arrow?"

"That's lame. Then he'd have to change his name to Green Arrow for that to work. Besides I'm not color coding myself." Roy chuckled.

"How about we wait for the media?" They usually give out names. They named the Clock King, the Arrow, the Count..." Felicity added.

Diggle ran down the steps of the lair with a wild look in his eyes. He looked at Oliver's wounds to his face and looked back at Roy, who was still in his suit.

Diggle started, "One day off the job and you go and almost get yourself killed. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But the robber was good. Skilled. Strong. Good news is I had Roy's help." 

"Well I'm glad you're all okay. I heard about the robbery on the news."

Felicity interrupted the conversation. "Guys I don't think this was a robbery. I just got word from Kord Enterprises. Nothing was missing front the warehouse. There was no shortage of stuff to take. Question is if she wasn't taking anything, why was she there?"

"I don't like the idea that there's more to this girl's plan than we originally thought." Oliver stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment/like!


	5. Chapter 5

About a week later, no new information about this 'Chesire' girl had come over the wire. Diggle and Lyla had just had their baby a day ago so Dig hadn't been down in the foundry for today. Roy had been keeping the streets safe without Oliver's help. He was finding his place on the team. Felicity had stayed down in the cave working late trying to stay up to date with any new information about this mysterious woman. 

Once Ray Palmer showed up, Oliver not only lost his company but realized how unqualified he was to run QC. So he was grateful that although QC was no longer the family business, it was up and running smoothly under Ray's much more capable hands.

Oliver was doing a salmon ladder down in the Lair when he heard feet running down the stairs. He saw Felicity's long ponytail bob back and forth as she ran to her desk. Oliver jumped down from the ladder and walked over to Felicity.

Oliver was puzzled,"Felicity, what's wrong?"

"I got an alert on my tablet. Sara's comm was picked up in near Starling National Bank. I also found out that there's a robbery in progress there too. My guess she came here for my message but decided to stop by and help. I'm pulling up surveillance video."

After a few seconds the monitor was showing a low resolution feed of a woman in black beating up 4 men in hockey masks. Clearly they were losing. 

Felicity laughed and began,"It doesn't look like she needs help but you should follow our lead on Chesire."

Oliver nodded and replied, "Tell her I'll meet her there."

"Do you need Roy?" Felicity asked

"No.Tell him to stay on patrol. I can handle this."

He suited up and jumped on his bike. 

Sara had just handed off the criminals to the police when she saw Oliver walking towards her. In the last months, SCPD along with most of Starling City, had come to accept the Arrow and The Canary as heroes after they stopped Slade's destruction of the city.

"I got Felicity's message. What do you want to know?" Sara asked.

Oliver whispered, "Can we go somewhere more secret?" He began climbing stairs to reach the roof a building as Sara followed him.

When they reached the top he began,  
"About a week ago, a highly trained ninja showed up at a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. She goes by the name Chesire. Her fighting style is much like yours so I figured maybe she's a rogue League member."

Sara shook her head, "I've never heard of her. Sorry I couldn't be of more help"

"Thanks for coming though. Is this permanent? You being back?" Oliver hoped she would stay finally. 

"I don't know." She smiled up at him. "How are you, Oliver?"

"I'm fine. I'm working through a few things though."

"You want my advice? We are not our masks and we need people in our lives who don't where one. See you later." She ran off into night towards the Glades.

Meanwhile...

She watched as The Arrow and Black Canary met up outside that bank. His plan worked perfectly. She was in range.

"Wait," the man commanded

"She's right there. I'm going to complete the mission!" She argued

"No. If you kill her now, the Arrow will surely try and come after you. This must be a clean kill. We must wait."

She was frustrated. This test he had her do for her first mission was not going how she planned. She didn't care who this woman was except that he wanted her dead. 

So they continued following her...

The next day...

Felicity was walking around the outside of Verdant as Oliver appeared, almost out of nowhere.

"Hey! How was work?" Oliver chased after her. He was too eager.

"It is not work. It is a soul crushing exercise in misery that offers health and dental. Suffice it to say I've never been so grateful to have worked at QC when I did." Felicity really did not like working at Tech Village. Sadly she had no choice after Isabel devastated the company. 

"Felicity.. W...Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Throwing in a little olicity because the last couple of episodes have been too angsty for me...


	6. Chapter 6

"What?"

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"Oliver repeated,smiling ear to ear.

"I don't want to read too much into this but are you asking me out on a date?Like a date-date? Felicity was trying her hardest to not get her hopes up. She didn't want to get hurt.

"Well...yeah..su- the point being that two people go out to din-"Oliver couldn't speak out of being nervous.

"I'm usually the one talking in sentence fragments." She paused waiting for his response.

"Would you like to go out with me?"Oliver asked.

"Yes." And she nodded.

12 Hours Later...

Sara had called her sister hoping to meet up with her. She had left for 5 months after the whole Slade debacle. She waited for her on the roof of Laurel's apartment building.

"Here I thought you had used up all your League of Assassins vacation days." Laurel was so happy to her sister alive and well. 

She began walking toward her sister and hugged her."Hey Laurel. How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm back at the DA's office. Dad's been promoted to Captain Lance. Does he know you're back?"She asked.

"No and I don't want him to know."

"You don't want to know your here or you don't want him to know why?" Sara didn't want her father to worry about her anymore. 

"Both."

Laurel's phone began to ring.

"Hello?... Yes...Ok...I'll be right there."

Laurel turned back to Sara.

"The Arrow...Oliver...stopped a drug dealer last week. My boss wants me to head his trial."

"Dinah Laurel Lance. Always trying to save the world." Sara was proud of her sister. She had come far after Tommy died. Laurel fell far after. She turned to alcohol and pills. But with time and help she picked herself back up and found herself back at the DA's office.

"I guess it runs in the family." She hugged her sister and watched as she descended down the fire escape steps.

Sara made her way towards the leader of building until she heard footsteps behind her. She turned back ready to attack.

"Who are you?" She saw a small dark figure. Next thing she knew it fired 3 arrows. 

She almost didn't feel them. The arrows. It wasn't until she looked down did she realize what happened. She began to fall back. She was close enough to the edge that instead of falling on the ground, she fell off the roof. The last thing she saw was the moon illuminating the sky. She saw the stars that beckoned her to join them. The last thing she thought before she hit the ground was that bird her father bought her all though years ago. It was yellow, beautiful and small. Just like her sister. A canary...

Laurel had just made her way to the bottom as she saw her sister's limp body fall to the ground, and the lack of life in her eyes.

"SARA!!!" Laurel gave a blood-curdling scream.

She ran towards her sister's dead body and begged."SARA! No,no,no,no don't leave me. You can't leave me. Wake up! I need you. Dad needs you..." Her vision was blurred through her tears. "Open your eyes,"she whispered.

She knew she couldn't take her sister to the hospital because too many people would ask too many questions. There was only one place safe enough for the two of them.

Back at the Lair...

Oliver had been on a lot of dates pre-island. Back then, his playboy ways allowed him to easily lure in his pick of women. The dating scene had become his comfortable zone. So when he could feel the butterflies in his stomach before this date, he knew the next few hours were not going to be easy.

He arrived at Table Salt 10 minutes later.

"Queen. Party of two." He told the waiter. The nicely dressed man showed him to the table where he sat for Felicity to show up. Every second made his nervousness grow exponentially.

Felicity arrived at Table Salt 5 minutes after Oliver. She walked into the restaurant and could feel her ankles giving out beneath her. The waiter showed her to wear Oliver was waiting for her.

He stood up and pushed her chair in as she sat down.

“Hi” Oliver said in a breathless huff. 

"Hi." Felicity was clearly just as nervous as he was.

"Drinks?" The waiter asked

"Scotch. Neat. Please." Oliver ordered.

The waiter continued,"And you Miss?"

"I'll just take a water." Felicity responded

Oliver put his hand the waiter's arm to stop him from leaving.

He worried,"Are you sure? The booze might help with the whole thing."

"The alcohol is not going to mix well with the three benzos I took." She replied with a nervous smile.

"Are we being crazy? I mean what do we have to be nervous about?" Oliver tried to lighten the mood.

"Well we've already expended every topic that one would talk about on a first date...and a second date...and every date actually. Plus I already seen you shirtless..."she paused for a moment feeling embarrassed that she even noticed. To her credit he did almost seem allergic to shirts considering how often he wore one."Multiple times.. Shirtless.. All the time." She was babbling. One of her qualities that often got her into awkward situations just like this.

The waiter came back with their drinks. 

"Thanks," they replied 

"There are still a few things that you don't know about me." 

"Name one." 

"The five years that I was away I wasn't always on Lian Yu."

"Thought so. Where were you?"

"Hong Kong. For one. I've been thinking about me time there a lot lately.” he paused, remembering all the things that happened to him there. “ I'm sorry I'm just a little out of my element. It's just when you survive for five years watching over your shoulder, you stop seeing people for people. You see threats or targets. When I came home I didn't know how to turn that part of me off." He paused thinking of how to say what he was about to say. "Then I walked into your office. You were the first person I could see as a person." He blushed at his next sentence. "There was just something about you."

Felicity could feel her face heating up. "Yea I was chewing on a pen." 

"It was red."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided not to change anything about the date because I thought it was already perfect of course other than it blowing up in the end. Sara of course will still be dying but not by the same reason it actually was. Similar but not the same.


	7. Chapter 7

They returned back to Verdant 2 hours later.

"I had a great time tonight."

"I did too."

Their date had actually gone really well. After the initial awkwardness they had a pretty great evening. They talked about that time Oliver and Tommy almost set the house on fire while decorating a Christmas tree. He told her about the time when they were 10 and they almost had the cops called on them for harassing the neighbors over Halloween candy. Felicity didn't saying about her family. Oliver knew that her young years weren't very happy.

They walked down the steps.

"So did you have anyone worth arrowing lined up for this evening?"

"Arrowing? Is that really a verb now?" They were laughing as they reached the bottom of the steps. Until they saw her.

Laurel was standing near the medical table. Her blouse was stained with blood and her eyes were bloodshot. What really drew their attention was her. Sara. She lay on the table with 3 arrows protruding from her abdomen. She was still in her disguise. Her eyes were open but dead. That usual spark of beauty was gone. 

"I didn't know where else to take her." Laurel's voice was raw and shaky. Hoarse from screaming.

Felicity slowly approached her body. Almost as if going near it would force her to accept that Sara was dead.

"We have to take to her to a hospital. We have to help her! We have to--have to..." She couldn't get out anymore words. Her sobs choked her up and her glasses fogged from her tears.

Oliver's face was emotionless. Deep down he felt a wave of sorrow and guilt wash over him. But he had to find her killer. He couldn't fall to pieces like Felicity. He reached his hand up to Sara's face and closed her eyes.

"Ollie it's not fair. We just got her back its not fair." She began to cry again and Oliver consoled her in his arms. 

The evening that Oliver and Felicity had enjoyed was now done. Oliver knew since he couldn't save her, he needed to find her killer. 

The promise he had to Tommy all those years ago, now resurfaced in his mind. If he found Sara's murderer, he no longer knew if he could keep it. 

Meanwhile...

"Is it done?" He asked

"Yes. One question. Why did she need to die?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit this is not my favorite chapter...   
> Sorry I promise the next chapter will be better.   
> I did have most of what I've posted written before season 3 aired and so when my predictions became true I wasn't sure whether or not to still post this. I've had to go back and change things to make it original...


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty much an exact replica of with happened but slightly refined. The later chapters will actually start to deviate from canon. 
> 
> So sorry I haven't updated!!!! Spring break finally gave me a chance to write.

The next day their work began. 

Oliver went to where it happened. He figured that at Sara's height and the placement of the arrows in her abdomen, her killer was short. The arrows were precise. This person was good. Trained. 

He felt a presence behind him. He turned saw Diggle, who was hiding his misty eyes.

"Felicity told me what happened. Listen Sara was my friend too. So if you think you're going after her killer alone you couldn't be more wrong."

Oliver couldn't think about her. Not right now. He disregarded what Diggle had said.

"Her killer stood here. Lots of loose gravel. She fell off the roof." Oliver was demonstrating his recreation of what happened. 

"Oliver you don't have to do this. I get it. Military training. Your friend gets shot you move on and keep fighting." 

Oliver gave Diggle a look of understanding. He knew how this worked. 

Back at the Lair,Felicity started out by examining all of Sara's things. She looked for clues as to who might have killed her friend. Roy had since returned to the Foundry. He, like Oliver,was hiding his emotions. But he was there for Felicity when regressed to a puddle of tears. He helped her process Sara's belongings.

Felicity's phone began to ring. She wiped her eyes and answered.

"Hello?... Yes I know I was supposed to come into work today, but I'm sorry-there's been a death in the family....yes thank you." She hung up and got back to work.

"How are you doing Felicity?"Roy asked her. He knew the answer but he wanted to break the silence looming over them.

"I'm okay."She answered half-heartedly. 

She went back to Sara’s body, holding her hand in the air. "Her hands were so small. I've just never noticed before. She was so strong. I've always pictured her as a sort of Amazonian warrior. Invincible. Something I could never be."

Oliver returned to the Lair with Diggle closely trailing behind. He looked to Roy.

"I need you looking for this guy. He's trained so be careful. Sara could haven't been the only one he was looking to cross off."

Roy headed off to the back to change into his suit.

"I'll help him out."

"Diggle it's just intel gathering. Roy can handle it. Go home to Lyla." Diggle knew what Oliver was doing. Oliver felt a degree of responsibility for Sara's death. Realizing that the life he had chosen would only end one way. 

Now he was pushing Diggle away to keep him safe. Diggle had a family. He had something to lose.

"I get it, Oliver. Sara's gone and now you are blaming yourself. I knew the risks when I signed onto this crusade. You did too. So what changed?"

"You're a father now. I can't have you out in the field."

Diggle approached Oliver. Waves of anger surging off of him. 

"You’ve known that i was going to be a dad for the past 7 months. I've dedicated the past 2 years of my life helping you save the city. Oliver you would be dead ten times over if it wasn't for me! That's got to earn me something."

Oliver didn't know how to respond so he let Diggle walk out, still trying to tell him what he was thinking. 

Felicity sat at her desk trying to hold back her tears. Oliver thought he couldn't have a life. She was part of that life that Oliver had imagined for himself. If he gave up on that life, he'd give up on her.

"We need to talk."Oliver spoke

"We can talk after we catch this guy."

"Fine."

That night they buried Sara. Felicity,Roy,Oliver,Diggle,and Laurel all stared at the coffin in the night. 

"She's home." Oliver stated.

"This is sick. She doesn't even get a fresh grave? No one will remember her for who she was."Laurel sobbed

"We will know."Oliver gestured to his team. 

Diggle quietly spoke up. "I know it doesn't account for much, but Lyla and I? We are naming the baby Sara. We will never forget."

"Thank you."

Felicity slowly walked up to the dirt pile next to Sara's hole. She stuck her hand in, grabbed a handful of dirt, and threw it onto the coffin.

"It's a Jewish custom. I know she wasn't but...It feels right."

Oliver and the rest of them proceeded to do the same thing.

As they returned to the Lair, they sat in silence. 

"We have to tell Lance."Roy stated.

Laurel immediately responded. "No. If we tell him now he'll break. If we find her killer first maybe he'll be okay."

"Laurel he has a right to know." Felicity commented.

"You're right. But let me tell him. Not you Oliver."

With that Laurel retreated up the steps. 

2 days later...

It took 2 days for Laurel to build up the courage to tell her father. She walked into precinct not sure of how to tell him. 

Quentin was on the phone when she neared his office."No. My officers already reported everything they saw...yes I know we haven't found the guy...."

He looked up at Laurel who look liked a kicked puppy."Hey hold on I got to go."

He paused to stand and give her a hug.

"Laurel, baby what's wrong?"

"I know that I haven't been acting like myself lately. I thought you should know why. I'm sorry for what I'm about to tell you but..." Laurel began to cry before she could say anything else.

"Sara she...she's...she's dead." Laurel broke down into a guttural cry. Her father took her into his embrace.

Quentin wasn't much of an emotional guy. He'd only cried a few times in his life. Twice when his daughters were born. Once when his wife left him. Once when he thought Sara had died on the Gambit. The last time he cried was during the Undertaking when he thought he was going to die. 

The pain he felt after losing Sara on that boat was now multiplied by 100. He sank to the floor,holding his daughter in his arms.

"I'm so sorry,sweetheart." His sobs were stopping his words. "I'm sorry you had to lose her again."

They sat there for what felt like hours. They cried until they could cry no more.

Back at the Lair...

Oliver was relentlessly hitting a dummy until it broke. After about 2 hours he sat alone,in the dark. Diggle was out with Lyla. Roy took the day off and Felicity was out. 

He heard small, light footsteps and then the lights turned on. "Oliver,what are you doing?" Felicity asked.

"I've been thinking." He stood and walked towards her.

"About what?" She questioned.

"Us."

She didn't want to hear it. She knew what he was going to say.

"I thought that I could be me and the Arrow. I thought that I could still have a life outside of this cave. But I can't. Not now."He paused. "Maybe not ever."

"Then say never. Stop...dangling maybes. Say it's never going to happen between us. Say you never loved me. Say-"

"Felicity." Then he kissed her. It only lasted for a few moments but in those few seconds he tried to convey how he felt. When he pulled away he continued to hold her face in his hands.

"Don't ask me to say that I don't love you."


	9. Chapter 9

3 days after Sara was murdered and Oliver was at his wits end. He was ready to flip some tables. They hadn't found out anything about Chesire or Sara's killer. Felicity had been monitoring any and all government databases for signs of mysterious killings or assassins. She was sitting at her desk playing with a pen trying to pass the time. The algorithm she had designed to search for Chesire and Sara's killer was running for the millionth time and Oliver was sitting around sharpening and resharpening his arrows.

He banged on the table below him, breaking an arrow in two."Why isn't it working, Felicity?"

"It is. Just give it time." 

"We don't have time! Every minute we spend down here Sara's killer is getting harder and harder to find."

"I know. You can't tell me anything I don't already know."

"I just need your A-game,Felicity."

"I don't have it." She rose from her spot taking off her glasses. "Our friend was shot with arrows and fell off of a rooftop. Her body is in the ground,rotting because she was killed. So I'm sorry if I have feelings,Oliver!" She stopped because her tears blurred her vision and her crying choked her up.

"How can you stand there being so cold? Sara...your Sara is gone."

"I don't have the luxury to fall to pieces." He paused. "Everyone is looking to me to lead. If I grieve no one else gets to."

"You're still a human being,Oliver. You're allowed to have feelings." Felicity responded.

"I realized something the other day when Sara was laying on that table. One day that's going to be me."

"So you're just going to sit down in this cave waiting to die? I'm sorry I'm not going to wait down here with you because if there's one thing this week has taught me is that life is precious. I can't sit around waiting with you." 

With that she went back up the stairs. Digg was coming down the stairs as Felicity feld up them.

"What's wrong with Felicity?"

Oliver grumbled."She needed some air."

"Has Thea called back yet?"

"No." Oliver felt a nagging need to hear his sister’s voice after he saw Sara lying on that table. He saw how much Laurel had missed her sister and realized how much it would hurt Thea to see Oliver like that. He had called her the day after they buried Sara. She still hasn't called back.

Back with Roy...  
Roy was out doing patrols when he paid Sin a visit.

"Nice suit Abercrombie. You still juiced?" Sin had more or less fell off the grid after Slade's attack.

"No. I got past that. I came here because I needed your help."

"Before we get to that...how's Thea? She back from Europe?"

Roy was confused. She hadn't told anyone that she was leaving, apart from Roy.

"What? I have my sources."

"No. She's not back yet." He was lying. When she left that note she didn't say where she going. What she did say is that she wasn't coming back. But his gut feeling told him that she wasn't in Europe.

"How about Sara?"

Roy froze. He wasn't sure if he should tell her. Sara was the only family that Sin had. Like an adoptive big sister. 

"We haven't heard anything from her. Sorry."

"Oh well. So...What did you need my help with?"

"I'm looking for someone."

"Wow finally moving on from Thea Queen!"

"Not like that. About a week and half ago The Arrow and I fought a woman who goes by the name Chesire. She's dressed in black with a green tribal mask over her face. I think she might still be in Starling. Can you keep an ear out?"

"Yeah. Sure man. Tell the Arrow I say hello."

With that she walked back into the alleyway and disappeared into the night.

 

He then made his way towards downtown. Roy chose a particularly high building to watch the city from. He stopped a few muggings, a car thief and a drunk. It was pretty good night until she showed up.

"Hello Roy."

He turned,an arrow knocked in his bow,ready to fire. He saw her. The woman in the green mask.

"How do you know who I am?!" He yelled.

"Relax I'm not here to fight. You don't know me but I know you. I just wanted to see how you were doing." Roy realized the woman was using a voice modulator like Oliver. That's why they couldn't identify her at that warehouse. 

"Criminals usually don't just pop in to say hi. What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. I just missed you."

"If you're trying to have a heart to heart why you don't you take off that mask? If you know who I am, why can't I know who you are?" Roy knew she wasn't stupid enough to fall for it but it was worth a try.

"Your life would never be the same."she replied.

"I've had my fill of that lately."

He lowered his bow, sensing he wasn't going to need it. He knew he should be attacking but he was more curious than angry.

"You know right now is usually when they start getting stabby. So why aren't you?" She walked towards as if a taunting him further.

"You're right. You hurt my partner. So what's stopping me from putting an arrow in you right now?" He rose his bow, threatening her to back away.

"You'd never hurt a defenseless girl now would you? You used to jump people who did that sort of thing. You saved even that stupid Queen from getting mugged even though she deserved it."

"Don't you talk about her!" He gritted his teeth and loosed his arrow, aiming for her shoulder. She ducked and took out her two knives. He dove for her legs in an attempt to knock her off balance but she moved just in time. She swung her knives towards him and he gave a loud cry of pain as she cut his forearms. He aimed with a hard right for her side and she fell to ground but recovered. She gave a high kick towards his head and landed it. He fell, dizzy from the pain and sudden concussion. 

She walked towards him, putting the heel of her boot on his chest.

"I'd stay down if I were you. I told you that you wouldn't last a minute." She walked away putting away her knives and strutted back towards an abandoned building.

He quickly got up and shot her in the leg. He gave her only a slight cut. Just enough to draw blood. She hissed with irritation and ran into the night.

He almost drunkenly walked towards the arrow that found itself lodged in brick. If they couldn't stop her at least they could find out who she was. 

Back with Chesire...

She made her way into the building she was calling home. She's train here,sleep here, and whenever she could she'd spend her free time here. It was old and abandoned. Very dark with only a light she jerry rigged to run on the neighbors power.

A man stepped out from the shadows. "Where were you?"

She let out a huff of frustration. He was acting like her father again and she was the rebellious teen.

"I was out."she replied

"Well I'm glad you took a stroll in a city where you're a wanted woman."he said in a sarcastic voice. 

"What do you want?" 

"I want you to tell me where you went."

"To see a friend. Is that okay?"she spat.

"No! Not when you're being hunted. One slip up and he could find you!"

"I can handle myself."

She started to walk away towards the dusty window.

He unsheathed his katana and stopped her with a sharp knife to her throat. 

"Is this how you treat your students? By threatening them?"

"WHO did you see?"

She was irritated by his constant nagging. "Oh my god! I went to see Roy! Is that what you want to hear?"

He was angry now. Which was saying something considering how he was acting.

"I forbid you from seeing him! He is part of your old life. Back when you were not my daughter."

"Just because I moved on from that time doesn't mean I moved on from him."

"Oh really. Didn't you leave because you couldn't trust him? Or your brother?" he paused then resumed in calmer tone. "Just think about that."

He walked out of the room still steaming with rage.

She threw he knives at the dummy in the corner pretending it was her father. She then walked over to the dirty mirror and stared. What stared back at her was not the girl she knew 5 months ago. She was no longer Thea Queen.


	10. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Sorry this isn't a chapter but i have question for those who read this story. Everything that has been posted to this story was written before the mid season finale of Arrow so while some of what was written has come to fruition to rest i can't seem finish because everything I wanted to happen... happened. I am thinking about posting the remaining 10 chapters or so, that i already had written and orphaning this work for lack of muse and time to continue this. I am sorry that I'm doing this but I feel as if i have no choice. If you have comments please leave them below. Thanks...


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the really delayed update. Season 3 is almost over and i wrote this before it even aired.Ive just been so busy with everything so i haven't had chance. Anyways here the chapter!

Roy returned to the Foundry after his encounter with Chesire. Oliver soon followed suit. He had come back after tracing down a lead on Sara's killer. Felicity was sitting at her desk when he walked in. 

Oliver placed the piece of glass he had in hand back on the table. They had used this to pull a print off of it. It was on the rooftop where she was killed.

"Another dead end." He sighed

"What? It took me a week to get a name off that. I had to use a predictive indexing algorithm to get the full print. Which was convenient considering it was his index finger. I guess that not is particularly relevant now." She said in a disappointed tone.

He grumbled in anger. "What about Thea? Have you found her?" 

"I had to ping her cellphone to find out where in 'Italy' she was texting from. And turns out she's not in Europe at all. She's here in Starling. I hacked into her phone and found a flight manifest. She returned 2 weeks ago. She used the alias 'Mia Dearden' to book a flight from Corto Maltese back here. She has no address I could find. Her phone was a burner."

"Why would she use a burner?"

"I don't know. But I did get her last known location. You can start there." She handed him a slip of paper with a scribbled address on it. This place was in the outskirts of the city. Almost 10 miles from where they used to live.

He took Roy with him. They needed to convince her to come back to the city with them. 

Roy was still shaken up by his encounter. Now he needed to tell Oliver about the note Thea left before she disappeared. Telling a big guy like Oliver something that would disappoint him was a little intimidating. 

Roy was walking beside him when he spoke up. They were heading towards their bikes to drive to Thea’s location.

“Oliver. I need to tell you something.”

“What?” Oliver stopped walking and turned to see Roy. 

"The night of the siege, Thea and I were going to run away together. But I couldn't leave without helping you so I left and that's when when we fought in that tunnel. When I went back to place she was gone. She left a note saying she couldn't trust me."He paused recollecting his thoughts. "I don't think she's going to come back with us."

Oliver gritted his jaw. He knew his sister would pull something like this.

"We still have to try. I can't lose her." Oliver confessed

They drove for 20 minutes not speaking to one another. To be safe they were in their suits so as not to cause Thea's suspicion. 

They walked into the apartment building that held Thea's location. It was old,rundown and half destroyed from the earthquake. They searched all the floors. Careful to be quiet. 

He found a room that had been left in a hurry. On a dresser by the bed they found a photo. It was himself and Thea. So unless they had a crazy stalker this was Thea's room. 

Oliver opened the comms. "She's not here Felicity." 

"That's the last place I could trace her to. I'm sorry, Oliver. We will find her."

Oliver ran out of the building. Angry and enraged. He needed to see his sister. She was all the family he had left. 

"Oliver, she was here. She's close."

Little did they know she was close. Closer than they thought. She was perched on the rooftop intently watching them. She knew The Arrow was after her. But she didn't want to found.

When they returned to the Lair, Roy gave Oliver the bloody arrow. 

"What's this?" Oliver had a puzzled look.

Roy had to come clean. "I encountered Chesire."

"What?! Why didn't you tell me? What is wrong with you? We could've caught her!"

"I tried fighting her but she beat me! I was able to shoot her enough to collect her blood. If we can't catch her at least we can find out who she is." He couldn't tell Oliver the whole truth. If he knew that Chesire knew who Roy was then he'd be even more furious. 

"You should’ve said something sooner. We could've tracked her at least." Oliver grabbed the arrow and gave it to Felicity. 

"I need this analyzed. Send this to QC's lab."

"Can't do that anymore. You don't own it remember?"

"Know anyone else with a lab?"

Felicity smiled. "Yes actually. Remember Barry?"

"I do why?"

"He's made acquaintances at S.T.A.R Labs. He can be over here to pick it up in a flash."

"Okay. I need it done quickly."

"Sure thing." 

Roy and Oliver were left alone in the Lair as Felicity went outside to call Barry.

"I want to thank you for telling me about Thea's note."

Roy was taken aback by Oliver's statement. He was sure that Oliver would be angry for not telling him sooner.

"I also wanted to let you know that I really do appreciate the fact that you've joined the team. You pull some cool moves out there."

"I had a good teacher. Although he is temperamental, kind of a jerk sometimes, and a little too serious."

Oliver chuckled. "Those are the best kind."

A dark figure walked into the Lair. It held a bow with an arrow at the ready to fire. The arrow was aimed right at Oliver.

"Where is she?!"it yelled."Where is Sara?!"


	12. Chapter 11

"Sara came here for you! She hasn't called in for weeks! Where is she?!" The figure stepped out of shadows and took off the hood. It was Nysaa. She still did not lower her bow. 

"We need to tell you something."

Nyssa knew how this worked. All that she needed as confirmation was Oliver's solemn look. 

"Is she dead?" Nyssa let down her guard, lowered her bow, and stormed out.

Oliver followed after her. 

"Where are you going?" He asked

"I'm going to find who killed her." She yelled

"We already tried that." 

"I haven't." She spun around on her heels to face him.

"Sara is all I treasured in the world. With her gone. Why am I here?" Nyssa was trying to hide her grief just like Oliver was. Putting on a fighting front to mask the pain. 

"I miss her too. We all do."

"You don't understand. My father was never more than a mentor to me. Sara was the only family I had. But you? You have everyone in your team who care for you! You even have your sister who cares for you! So no. You don't know how I feel."

She turned back around and disappeared from sight. 

When Oliver returned an hour later, Roy was hanging up the phone. 

"Felicity decided to go visit Barry. She hasn't visited him since he woke up. He'll analyze the sample for you still."

Roy began to grab his suit from the case he had it in. 

"Where are you going?" Oliver asked.

"I need to clear my head. Heading out."

He left without another word. What he said was true. He did need to clear his head. But he didn't say where he was going. He was going to try and find her again. 

He headed to where he fought her last night.

When he arrived he slowly got off of his bike. He imagined in his head what had happened. Now he wondered if he knew the woman behind the mask.

Back with Thea...

They were both still angry with each other. But in the heat of the moment last night she didn't realize that he drew blood. Now they had a problem. They could find out who she was. 

Thea Queen was always stubborn. A quality more than likely given by her father, Malcolm. So having to admit that she was in trouble to her father was not an easy task.

She found him on the roof of a nearby building, staring at the skyline in the distance.

"We have a problem."

"What?"

"When I fought Roy last night...He might've gotten a sample of my blood."

Malcolm turned to her, his eyes throwing daggers. He held an I-told-you-so face. 

He scoffed, "Not we. You. You are going to fix this. I knew you'd mess up." 

"Thank you,Dad. So supportive of your daughter."

She walked away too annoyed to continue talking. She'd have to find where her blood sample was. And she had a pretty good idea as to where it might be.

Back with Felicity...  
She boarded a train for Central City with a bloody arrow in her purse. If she could tell her past self exactly what would be in her future, she'd never would believed it. The time it took to go from Starling to Central City she looked back at how much her life had changed in the past 2 years.

She sat playing with some code for an searching algorithm on her laptop, when a burst of air hit her in the face. She yelped.

All of the sudden Barry was sat in front of her. 

"Did I yelp? I yelped didn't I?"

He smiled at her. She was acting really cute. That's kind of what he liked about her. 

"You called me?"

"Yes. I need this analyzed." She pulled out the arrow.

He was a forensic scientist so the sight of blood didn't phase him. "I think I like these better when he left them in people.

"You and me both."

"I'll have this back quick." He ran in a flash of light. 

She was alone again on the train. She stared out the window at the moon in the distance. He returned to her 5 minutes later.

"Ok so I was able to identify and mark the DNA in the blood. The coding is imprinted on this." He handed her a small flash drive. He nodded as if ready to leave.

"Barry I didn't just come for the arrow, I came to see you."

"I know. But something tells me this is more important. Want a ride?"

She nodded, excited to see what's its like to move at a speed that Barry had become used to.

He held on to her at her side. He held her head at the neck.

"What's this for?"

"Whiplash."

Then he ran. Everything around them was a blur. Her hair was whipping around her face. Her eyes could hardly stay open with the air pressure.

After 2 minutes he stopped.

"We are here." They were at her apartment. Her hair was everywhere and her clothes were all shifted. 

She laughed at the sight and at the fact they just went 400 miles in 2 minutes. 

"That was fun. Let's do it again." 

"Maybe some other time. You need to get that to Oliver." He pointed to the drive in her hands.

"Thank you Barry. Goodbye."

"Bye." Then he disappeared out of the door.

She grabbed her keys from the counter and went to the bathroom to try and fix her hair.

Once she left the apartment she headed towards her car. She opened the door and sat down in the pilot seat. She didn't feel alone. 

"Hello Felicity."


	13. Chapter 12

Nyssa went to where she knew Sara would stay while in Starling. The safe house she had set up in the Glades.

She saw the few items that Sara had to make the place feel more like a home. A photo frame, some boxes with clothes, an old mirror, and Sara's favorite book.

There was also an old stuffed toy that Sara had never seen before.

"Sara got that on her first visit to Starling Aquarium." Oliver said.

Nyssa did not know how long he was there, honestly she didn't care.

“She used to hold that stuffed shark whenever she got scared of anything. She wouldn’t go anywhere without it.”

Nyssa let a single tear escape from her eyes.

"Nyssa you can't try finding this guy. We've looked over the scene countless times. The trail's gone cold."

"Not yet." She stifled.

"Well unless you know something that I don't there's nothing more that we can do."

"That's where you're wrong." She paused to gather her composure. "In our line of work you tend to make enemies. Sometimes even within the league itself."

"Who was her enemy?"

"When we discovered that Malcom Merlyn had executed an undertaking that violated our code of honor, we sent Sara to confront him."

"By confront do you mean kill? He was supposed to dead!"

Nyssa gave him a knowing look. "He got away but swore vengeance." Her broke before she continued. "I guess he got it."

She walked out of the room leaving Oliver with more questions.

Back with Felicity...  
She immediately went on the defense. The woman had a voice modulator. She held a knife to Felicity's throat. 

"What do you want from me?" Her voice held no fear. She's had her fair share of bad situations.

"I understand your associate collected a sample of my blood. I figure the golden girl of your little team would be the one to have it."

She held up her hand with the drive in it. Chesire took it with haste.

"Thank you Ms.Smoak." Then she crushed it with her boot. 

"You got what you came for. Now leave." Chesire gave a small cut to her neck and Felicity winced in pain.

"May we meet again." When Felicity turned around, she was gone.

Felicity felt proud. If two years of vigilantism taught her anything it was that you always had to be prepared. Felicity had been smart enough to put a backup file save on her tablet in case anything happened. Luckily she was right to be a step ahead. She turned on the car and drove towards Verdant.

She called Diggle on the way, telling him to meet her there.

Diggle arrived before Felicity. The lights were off in the Lair and the room was quiet.

Diggle flipped on the lights and he saw Oliver,sitting in Felicity's chair. His eyes were glassy and his hands were shaking.

"Are you okay,Oliver?"

"I don't want to die down here, John."

"So don't, Oliver."

"It's complicated. For you...You have a life. A family. But me? I have nothing but this cave." 

"So uncomplicate it. I know I haven't been down here much since Sara was born, but I know from the past two years that you need someone. You can't be just this thing you think the city needs. You can be Oliver Queen too."

At that moment, Felicity walked down the steps. 

She looked up at the two men, realizing they were in the middle of something.

"Did I just walk in on a thing?"

"You're fine, Felicity." Oliver spoke.

"Good because I have news. The blood sample that Roy got from Chesire came back. I just need to run it and we should find out who she is." She shooed Oliver from her chair and sat down to work. Oliver looked at her, admiring that fact that despite it being 3 in the morning, she was here, with him.

Then he saw it. The cut on her neck.

"Felicity what is that on your neck?"

She unknowingly touched the cut on her neck.

"It's nothing." She went back to running the DNA.

Oliver was getting angry. Someone had harmed her. Someone touched her. "It's not nothing, Felicity. You're bleeding."

She didn't respond to him. She continued to work, bringing up CCPD’S genetic database.

"Felicity! What happened?" He was getting REALLY angry now. 

She stopped typing and swiveled to face him in her chair. 

"On my way here...I was attacked. They were after flash drive I had with from Barry. They took it, but luckily I had a backup on my tablet."

“Who attacked you?”

“I didn't exactly stick around for tea,Oliver.”

“WHO?’ Oliver was ready to throw something. 

She sighed then spoke.”It was Chesire. I guess she doesn't want us to know who she is.”

Oliver thought to himself if he found her he’d-

“Oliver..” Felicity’s voice pulled him of his thoughts.

“What?” He asked.

“My algorithm found a match.” She gave him an I’m-sorry look.

He walked over the computer screen and couldn’t believe what he saw. On the screen was a pixelated picture of a young woman. Not just any woman. It was his sister. Thea Queen.


	14. Chapter 13

If Nyssa was taught anything by her life with the league, it was attachment was wrong. But Sara was different. She had wormed her way into her heart. When she found her, cold and starving she nursed her back to health. At first Ra's was not approving of Sara being with the League, but she showed potential.

Eventually she had passed the tests needed and took her name. Tah-Er Ah-Safer. Sara was gone. All that was left was the Canary. 

Nyssa 

Back with Laurel…

Laurel and her father had been able to confide in one another the past week. Ever since she told her father about Sara. She felt a large weight had been lifted by not keeping any secrets from her father. The only thing she couldn’t shake, was the feeling that Sara’s memory had to be preserved. For Laurel the only way to do this, was to do what her sister had done all these years. She wanted to do what Oliver had done for his father. 

So when Laurel had to visit a boxing arena to interrogate one of it’s members, she was going to get what she wanted.

As she walked in, she asked the front counter for the manager.

“I’m the manager.” A tall,muscular man looked at her, fresh off helping a new trainee. He stood watching her as she spoke up.

“I need to find someone. Someone who is known to be a member here.” She held up the photo for the man to see. ”His name is Zach. I think he was involved in the recent robbery of a family home in the Glades. He’s known to hang out here. Where is he?”

“I know him. He’s not here today. Sorry.”

She smiled politely and then began to speak,”Thank you for your time.”

As she walked out the door, he stopped her.   
"He had a record before he came here. Usually people come in here trying to stay out of trouble. When they have rage they can't control, they come in here to work it off. Ever since I've known him,he's always tried to be a good person. Whatever you think he might have done, I don't think he did it."

"People have a way of doing things you never thought they would be capable of." Laurel was beginning to remember when Oliver had betrayed her.

“You look like you have something bothering you. If you feel like you need to let out some anger, you can always come here.”

Laurel silently nodded and began to leave again. 

"I'm Ted Grant by the way." But she was already out the door.


	15. Chapter 14

When he was done the place was a mess. Felicity had tried to stop him but his feelings had overtaken him. He felt a mix of hurt and anger. His hurt turned into anger and vice versa. 

Chesire was Thea. Thea was Chesire. How? Why? How could she be killer? Did she know  
about him?About Sara? Who trained her?

He'd flipped all the tables. Broken the computer monitors. Thrown the chairs into the glass cases. Felicity and Diggle stood huddled together in the corner. They were hiding from him. From his anger.

His voice was hoarse from screaming. Felicity's pleas were drowned out from the blood rushing in his ears. 

Once he came back to his senses he sat in the middle of the floor with his hands between his knees. He was between crying and screaming again.

Felicity and Diggle left him alone after that. 

When Felicity returned to the Lair, Oliver was sweeping up the broken glass. They didn't speak for a while, both shaken by the news of Thea's identity. Now they had to decide what to do next. 

Oliver was losing himself when Felicity pulled him back to the surface.

"Oliver?Oliver!"

He turned back around. He had been staring at the wall.

"What?"

"I was just asking if you were okay?"

"I just found out my little sister is a killer. Okay is not going to be in my vocabulary for a while."

"Speaking of Thea, what are we going to tell Roy?"

Oliver stayed silent. Roy had not been down in the Lair in 2 days. Sure he'd see him suited up at night, but never coming back with them. Breaking the news to him, it'd break him. 

Oliver's mind then turned to who was training her. He had too many questions and not enough answers. He needed to find her. And soon. 

"Oliver? I know it's no use to try and cheer you up but.... Did you want to come back to my place?" She then realized how that might've sounded. "Not in that way! What I meant was you look like someone who shouldn't be alone. I figured I'd just keep you company."

Oliver accepted the offer, knowing she was trying her best to 

Her apartment was small. Big enough for two. She had no pets. Very few pictures of anyone at all. The thing that stood out to the most was the Robin Hood poster above her TV.

It was the first thing he saw when he walked in. He chuckled.

"What? What's so funny?" Felicity asked.

He pointed to the poster." Really? Robin Hood?"

It took her a moment to realize what he was referring to.

"I put that up there before I was involved in your nighttime activities. Oh gosh my brain thinks of the worst way to say things." She set her purse down on the couch.

"I'm just going to change. You can make yourself at home. Bathroom's over there." She pointed towards the hallway then left and closed her bedroom door behind her.

He sat down on the yellow couch in her living room. He admired the decorations on the walls and furniture. It very much was like Felicity. 

She emerged right then, wearing fluffy pajama pants and a purple tank top. Her face had been rid of her makeup and her hair was down. 

She walked towards the kitchen.

"Did you want anything to eat?" She asked from the sink. "I'm not much of a cook, but I make a mean PB&J."

"I'm not very hungry." He was still moaring over the discovery of Thea's identity.

She returned to the living room with two plates in her hands. "I wasn't asking."

He took the sandwich and she sat next to him, turning on the TV.

"We should keep your mind off of you know who. Got any favorite movies?"

He thought for a moment. "Lion King!"

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a Disney fan. Nevertheless, good choice."

So she put it on while Oliver went to bathroom. When he came back out 10 minutes later, she'd popped popcorn and was waiting for him.

Through the movie, they watched and would talk now and then. Somewhere between Mufasa's death and Hakuna Matata, Felicity fell asleep, her head rested on Oliver's shoulder. Despite everything he was going through, he couldn't help but feel that this was right.

At the end of the movie,he turned off the TV and carried her bridal style to her bedroom. Once he placed her on the bed,he quietly left her apartment. As he rode his bike he realized he was the happiest he'd been in a while.


	16. Chapter 15

As Felicity descended down the steps of the Foundry,she was still riding off the happiness that she felt with Oliver.

He was working out,again, when she saw him.

"Where did you go? When I woke up you were gone....NOT THAT I EXPECTED YOU TO STAY WITH ME...I wasn't making a pass at you."

Oliver stopped working out and walked towards her. His muscles being a little TOO distracting.

"I had fun, but I wasn't going to stay without you knowing." 

"I did offer you that room across the hall." She replied

He smiled at her, knowing that her babbling was a mechanism. Over the last few days between his talk with Diggle and movie night with Felicity, he'd been thinking about the life that he'd want if he weren't the Arrow. He'd kept those quiet dreams to himself. 

If he hadn't been on that island he never would have met his best friends, Diggle and Felicity. He probably would have married Laurel. His mother would’ve still married Walter. Thea might have turned out more responsible. Everyone’ lives changed after the boat sank. 

No longer, no more. He didn't want to push her away. Not for a second later. He didn't want to lose her.

"Oliver, I really think we should find Ro-" he stopped her with his lips. She hesitated at first, then she gave in. He hadn't kissed her since she told him to make up his mind about their relationship. Since then the tension has been building. Through this single kiss it was gone. Evaporated forever. Now all that mattered to Oliver was making sure she knew how he felt about her.

When he pulled back after what felt like forever, he just stared into her eyes. They didn’t speak, only looked.

“I was wondering when you were going to do that.” 

“Sorry it took so long. Didn’t mean to disappoint.” Oliver loved knowing that he could finally be himself around her. He no longer had to suppress how he felt. 

“Oliver I don’t want you to tell me okay then take away that hope again. Are you sure you want this?”

“I’m sure. No going back.”


	17. Chapter 16

Roy had been AWOL the past few days. He'd gone looking for Chesire,intrigued by who she was behind the mask. He knew she was a killer, but he wanted to find out who she REALLY was. 

Thankfully Oliver was not asking any questions. Oliver hadn't stopped by his place to check on him since he left.

So the day Roy finally returned he was met with open arms. Felicity was more than happy to see him again but she seemed distant,broken. Behind her eyes was a sad,comforting look.

Oliver was the same. He was glad to see his partner again but he kept his sentences short. Never explained too much.

After a few days, Roy couldn't take it. 

"Ok guys you've been acting weird. What happened while I was gone?"

Oliver and Felicity looked at each other. 

"We have to tell him." Felicity said.

"Tell me what?" asked Roy.

Oliver came closer, and softened the lines on his face.

"The arrow that you shot at Chesire... We were able to identify who she is."

"Who is she?"

Oliver was fighting within his himself to say the next two words. "It's Thea."

"That's funny guys but seriously?" Roy joked.

They said nothing. They only looked at him, asserting what they were saying with their withdrawn looks.

His teasing demeanor vanished as quickly as his breath. His eyes could no longer portray that young,happy, care-free look. 

“No.”

He started to back towards the door wanting to run from the truth. Oliver took a few steps towards him.

“I’m sorry. I wish it wasn't true.” His voice was soft,almost a whisper.

“NO! NO, YOU’RE LYING!” He ran, jumping onto his bike and speeding away. He drove, not knowing where he was going. All he knew is that he needed to find her. 

“ROY!” Oliver yelled after him but Roy was already out the door.

“Let him be Oliver. He’s hurting. Just like you.” He turned back to Felicity. His face was that off sorrow and pain. He hated seeing Roy’s heart break right in front of him. 

“I can’t let him be out at night in this condition.” Oliver was right. Roy was a danger to himself if he was consumed with anger and pain.

Back with Laurel...

It was late. She left the DA’S office after a long day of making her case against a serial murderer. She was heading back to her car when she realized that she had 10 missed calls from her father.

“Laurel, I know you won't get this because you're busy at work but i wanted to let you know that I want find her killer. Whatever she was mixed up in with that crazy lady and Nanda Parbat I don't care. Your baby sister deserves justice and no matter what I am going to find them. Just don't hate me for putting myself in danger.” The voicemail clicked off. Her father couldn't do this. He was in no condition to be going after masked murderers, especially those who killed with no mercy or reason.

Though he did bring up a good point. Her sister needed justice and if Oliver was not going to train her to get that justice than she was going to have to find it another way. She knew exactly where to go.

The next day she showed up back at the boxing arena she was at a few days ago.

As she walked she saw Ted Grant in the ring fighting someone. They were losing, needless to say. When he saw her he called out.

"I was wondering when you'd show up. I knew you would. Only a matter of time."

"You're right. I'm bothered and I need your help to stop it."  
”

“Boxing isn’t just about anger. Its about skill and strength. Taking too much anger into the ring can get you hurt.”

“I don’t care. I just want to get rid of the rage pent up inside me before I explode.”

“Then it looks like we have work to do.”  
He led her towards a room in the back of the arena. It was the room used to hold training gear. He pointed to a wall that on it hung gloves and uniforms. 

“Pick a color.” He smiled back at her, searching her expression for an answer.

“Black, definitely black.”


	18. Chapter 17

Roy sped towards the warehouse they fought in that first night they saw her. She was a good fighter. Strong enough to beat Oliver. That was not acheivement shared by many. He remembered the events that took place that night. Ha had waited outside for Oliver’s command. He could hear the fight over the comm in his ear. Oliver was putting up a fight but this attacker had easily overpowered him. He remembered the panic in Felicity’s voice when she called out to him.

He retraced the movements that he took to fight her off, not knowing who she was behind the mask. Now that he knew who she was, his mind was plagued with more questions than answers.

How did she become such a good fighter? When did she become a good fighter. Did she know about him? About Oliver? What about Sara? Did she know about Sara?

All of the answers would be given when he found her. But by now she was probably long gone.

He tried thinking of other ways to find her. Then he remembered that he had asked Sin to help him find this mysterious woman. He found her where she was usually was. On the roof of the bar on 7th street. She was alone, staring at the skyline. 

“What’s up, Abercrombie?”

“I’m still looking for that woman I told you about. Have you got any leads?”

“I heard that she killed some random lady. Left the scene after with an old guy. I also know that she usually hangs in old buildings.”

“Do we know the identity of the lady she killed?”

“No. Sorry.”

“Thanks for your help.” He started to walk away. He had his back turned to her when she spoke up. 

“Are you okay? You don’t look like you’re in your head. What happened?”

“Just some stuff. Don’t worry about it.” He left before she could say anything else.

He walked back into the darkness, greeted by the unkind truth and weight of the situation. The woman he loved was a killer. Whoever this woman was, she clearly was killed for a reason. Thea wouldn’t have killed in cold blood. Though in the back of his mind he realized that if she had changed this much, who’s to say that she wasn’t already too far gone?

Back with Thea…  
It had been a week since she last saw him. Roy. Despite the fact that she hated having to think of Malcolm as a father she had to listen too, he was right. She had to stay away if she was to stay a mystery to those who wondered who she was. Including him. Knowing Roy he would already be trying to figure out who she was. Shooting her with an arrow to get blood was just a start. Thankfully she put a stop to it before anything could be found.

She was practicing with knives on a dummy when she decided to do something that she probably shouldn’t do. It had been weeks since she was allowed to be just Thea Merlyn. She took the night off and left for downtown Starling. She still kept to the shadows because technically she was still in ‘Europe’ but this was the most freedom she had in a while.

It took all the self control she had not to visit her old stomping grounds. She wanted to visit Verdant, even though she knew that is was closed after Isabel Rochev reclaimed the warehouse as QC property. The one place that she was able to go was the old boutique she was once caught in when she was that ridiculous 18 years old girl getting in the tabloids for partying too much.

She really did change over the past months. She went from being a party brat, to a more or less responsible young adult, then going to a trained killer all within a matter of two years. 

The only person she had to worry about seeing her was Sin. She often hung out around downtown and being spotted by her would definitely ruin her cover. But it was too late. In the distance she could see her. Hanging with some guys but staring right back at her eyes. Then she ran.


	19. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As i stated in A/N this is the last chapter i have written. I have no more muse left for this story sadly. I started writing it months ago and it unfortunately receded to the back of my mind...

Oliver and Felicity had finally decided to stop running away from each other. For the two days since then it’d been great. Roy had still not come to grips with Thea’s identity. On the second day Roy felt the need to let out some anger so he asked Oliver to spar. It went like always. Oliver was pummeling Roy to the ground, while Roy kept fighting against him with all his might. Oliver was focused, strong, and unrelenting. It almost felt like nothing had changed in the past month. Thea was not a killer. Sara was not dead. It felt like old times. Then Felicity came down the stairs at her usual time, ready to begin their night of work. Oliver became distracted and watched as she descended. Roy saw his opportunity and Oliver was surprised as his much lesser of an opponent pinned him to the ground.

“Know your enemy. I told you one day I’d beat you.” Roy laughed, stood up and helped Oliver up from the ground.

“That doesn’t count. I was distracted.” Oliver responded. Roy had a smug grin on his face knowing that Oliver and Felicity finally stopped running away from each other.

“Hey Felicity.” Oliver walked up to her as she stood next to her seat. 

“Oliver. Hi. I didn’t see you there…” Felicity realized that now she and Oliver left all their feelings on the table so for a short time awkwardness would ensue. Also Oliver had just sparred with Roy and not since bothered to put to a shirt on. That was distracting her slightly.

Oliver grinned at Felicity's embarrassment. He thought it was cute. They stared for a few moments and then broke away back to what they were doing. 

Oliver went to the bathroom at the back of the Lair to take a shower. 

Roy turned to Felicity who was still blushing from the encounter. 

“How long do you think that’s going to be awkward?”

She gave him a happy grin and replied, “Shut up Roy. We barely called it a start. I don’t even know what ‘it’ is.”

“So in short answer its going to be a while.”

She went to her seat smiling at the fact Oliver was hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it... the end. 
> 
> p.s this is not a complete story so please don't hate me...

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment/or like please!!! I 'll try and update as often as I can remember...


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